Softball Report: Daily Beast Takes One for the Team…in the Face

The New York Media Softball League continues to heat up as landlocked editorial staffers channel their sublimated rage into line drives. Two-time champions the Wall Street Journal Capitalists faced off against the Newsweek/Daily Beast team during Week 2 of the league’s exhibition play. In 2010, the only team to slay the mighty Beast was Newsweek. After a tumultuous year in which the properties merged and the editorial reins were handed to Tina Brown, the combined entity can be sure of at least one outcome: a better, tougher softball team.

Some Newsweek/Daily Beast players wore t-shirts with the slogan “Hit this, catch that”—a riff off of their site’s “read this, skip that” slogan—but they looked practically pre-Harman next to the crisp, tucked-in, royal blue Journal jerseys. The gameplay reflected the difference in uniform, as the Journal took an early, domineering lead, until a line drive from the Journal was batted straight at the nose of Newsweek/Daily Beast pitcher and human resources manager Erika Jermusyk. The unnamed Capitalist ran to first base before the game was held for the injury on the field.

Ms. Jermusyk waited for her fiancé as her teammates tried to staunch the blood and WSJ writers tried not to look like they were wondering if the game was going to continue.

When reached on Monday, Ms. Jermusyk said that she had two black eyes and a broken nose but the pain was mostly gone. The doctors are waiting for the swelling to go down to assess the damage. “Hopefully, it just needs a little tap back into place,” she said. Ms. Jermusyk, recently engaged, has yet to set a date.

All was not lost; in fact, far from it. The Journal-induced injury and bullpen change helped Newsweek/Daily Beast surge to a 10-9 comeback, taking the season’s first victory against the defending champs.

Elsewhere, WNYC coach Brian Lehrer failed to attend the station’s big outing against the formidable High Times Bonghitters. According to a Bonghitter who requested anonymity, last year the team received complaints from the Wall Street Journal for their use of “performance enhancing drugs.” But that hasn’t stopped the occasional scent of herbal remedies emanating from the team. It’s a point worth challenging, as the Bonghitters won 18-7, and concluded the game as they often do: with a rousing rendition of their rally cry “Take Me Out to the Bong Game.”

Some of the friendly competition from WNYC’s squad migrated over to Bonghitters post-game celebration. They were generally received warmly.

Finally, on Tuesday evening, Vanity Fair faced off against The Daily‘s team in a game that reportedly ended in a 12-7 win by The Daily, who suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Wall Street Journal last week, when they told the Observer that they “plan to do much better” against the Vanity Fair “Veefers.” The team was more than willing to share their esprit de corpswith the public. The Daily’s team captain, Joshua Hersh, was unavailable for comment at press time.

[*Correction: This article previously stated the High Times‘ Bonghitters post-game celebratory anthem as “Take Me Out to the Stoned Game.” We have been informed by a member of the Bonghitters that it is, in fact, “Take Me Out to the Bong Game.” We have corrected the record, and regret the error. – Ed.]